This article is from page 12 of the 2012-09-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
GARDAÍ will take to the roads of Clare on Saturday for the 29th annual Clare Garda Cycle, details of which have been announced.
This year’s event is being held in aid of Pieta House, a nationwide service that provides a treatment programme for people who have suicidal ideation or who participate in self-harming behaviours. This year’s cycle also coincides with National Suicide Awareness Week, which runs from September 10 to 17.
The 116km cycle will commence at 9am from Ennis Garda Station on September 15. From there, riders will pass through Corofin, Carron, Ballyvaughan, Lisdoonvarna, Cliffs of Moher, Liscannor, Lahinch, Ennistymon, Inagh and back to Ennis.
There will be some delays to traffic and motorists are asked to be extra careful along the route of the cycle.
Garda Declan Keavey said delays will be kept to a minimum and all support is greatly appreciated on the day.
Tom McEvoy of Pieta House in Clare said the organisation are delighted to have the support of the gardaí. “They have come across Pieta House in their work in the community and we are thankful that they have considered supporting us in this way. We’re having collections in the town and villages that the cycle will go through. We’re going to have a collection in Ennis on Saturday September 15.”
Of the 358 people that visited Pieta House in Mungret, Limerick in 2011, 38 came from Clare. Tom says that the support of local communities is vital to Pieta House in the absence of government support.
He explains, “To date the Government have not stood behind what they said they would do for us, which is unfortunate. We are really living in hope that we will get support. But we’re not standing still waiting for government support. We’re developing our own niche in fundraising. This Darkness into Light charity walk has really been taken on by the community to help us try to eliminate as much as possible, people dying from suicide. That is our endeavor.”